CHAPTER XIII.

1659-1660.-Address to the Cornish people, respecting shipwrecks-the soldiers at Bristol are punished for disturbing Friends' meetings-several thousands attend a general meeting at Edward Pyot's-General Monk also restrains his soldiers— great drunkenness at elections for Parliament-men-the Yearly Meeting is held at Balby-and a general meeting of discipline for several counties held at Skiptona Friend goes naked (divested of the upper garments) through the town, declaring Truth, and is much abused-general meeting at Arnside for three countiesGeorge Fox is committed to Lancaster Castle by Major Porter-writes an answer to his mittimus-Margaret Fell writes to the magistrates thereon-address on true religion-against persecution-to Friends, on the change of government-to Charles II., exhorting him to exercise mercy and forgiveness towards his enemies, and to restrain profaneness-the Sheriff of Lancashire's return to George Fox's writ of Habeas Corpus-M. Fell and Ann Curtis speak to the King on the subject -the King orders his removal to London by Habeas Corpus, and there sets him at liberty.

BEING now clear of the city of London, and finding my spirit drawn to visit Friends in the western parts of England, passing first into SURREY and SUSSEX, I came to a great town where there was a large meeting, to which several Friends from Reading came, and a blessed one it was. The priest of the town was in a great rage, but did not come out of his house; wherefore, hearing him make a great noise in his house, as we were passing from the meeting, we bid him come out into the street, and we would discourse with him; but he would not. So the Lord's power being over all, Friends were refreshed therein. Thence I went to another market-town, where in the evening we had a precious meeting, and the fresh sense of the presence of the Lord was sweetly felt amongst us. Then turning into HAMPSHIRE and DORSETSHIRE, I went to RINGWOOD and POOLE visiting Friends in the Lord's power, and had great meetings amongst them. At DORCHESTER we had a great meeting in the evening at our inn, which many soldiers attended, and were pretty civil. But the constables and officers of the town came, under pretence to look for a Jesuit, whose head (they said) was shaved; and they would have all put off their hats, or they would take them off, to look for the Jesuit's shaven crown. they took off my hat (for I was the man they aimed at), and looked very narrowly, but not finding any bald or shaven place on my head they went away with shame; and the soldiers, and other sober people, were greatly offended with them. But it was of good service for the Lord, and all things wrought together for good; for it affected the people; and after the officers were gone, we had a fine meeting, and people were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, their teacher, who had bought them, and would reconcile them to God.

So

Thence we passed into SOMERSETSHIRE, where the Presbyterians and other professors were very wicked, and often disturbed Friends' meetings.

One time especially (as we were then informed) there was a very wicked man, whom they got to come to the Quakers' meeting; this man put a bear's skin on his back, and undertook with that to play pranks in the meeting. Accordingly, setting himself just opposite to the Friend that was speaking, he lolled his tongue out of his mouth, having his bear's skin on his back, and so made sport to his wicked followers, and caused a great disturbance in the meeting. But an eminent judgment overtook him, and his punishment slumbered not; for as he went back from the meeting, there was a bull-baiting in the way which he stayed to see; and coming within the bull's reach, he struck his horn under the man's chin into his throat, and struck his tongue out of his mouth, so that it hung lolling out, as he had used it before, in derision in the meeting. And the bull's horn running up into the man's head, he swung him about upon his horn in a most remarkable and fearful manner. Thus he that came to do mischief amongst God's people, was mischiefed himself; and well would it be, if such apparent examples of Divine vengeance, would teach others to beware.*

We travelled through SOMERSETSHIRE and DEVONSHIRE, till we came to PLYMOUTH, and so into CORNWALL, visiting the meetings of Friends to the Land's End. Many precious and blessed meetings we had all along as we went, wherein they that were convinced were established, and many others were added to them. At the LAND'S END, there was an honest fisherman convinced, who became a faithful minister of Christ; I took notice of him to Friends, and told them, “he was like Peter."+

While I was in Cornwall, there were great shipwrecks about the Land's End. Now it was the custom of that country, that at such a time both rich and poor went out, to get as much of the wreck as they could, not caring to save the people's lives; and in some places, they call shipwrecks, God's grace. These things troubled me; it grieved my spirit to hear of such unchristian actions, considering how far they were below the heathen at Melita, who received Paul, made him a fire, and were courteous towards him, and them that had suffered shipwreck with him. Wherefore I was moved to write a paper, and send it to all the parishes, priests, and

* Many were the judgments which overtook the persecutors of the Early Friends, as related in their journals, and the histories of the Society. The following occurred in Scotland, as related in Jaffray's diary: :-"James Skene, who was generally known by the name of 'White James,' to distinguish him from a very abusive and wicked man of the same name, called 'Black James,' took great delight in inventing malicious slanders against Friends. On one occasion, whilst he was repeating some wicked verses, which he had composed on purpose to defame a worthy and innocent person, he was in that instant suddenly struck down as one dead, and was for some time deprived of his senses. When he recovered, he acknowledged the just judgment of God upon him, confessed the offence he had committed against this innocent people, and gave proof of repentance by ever after abstaining from such practices."

The houest fisherman mentioned here was Nicholas Jose, who was a great sufferer for Christ's sake, both in loss of goods and imprisonments in Launceston jail, Pendennis castle, and other places; indeed scarcely a year passed over without his being called on to suffer severely in soine way or other for the testimony of a good conscience. He was imprisoned with twenty-four other Friends, about the year 1682, and continued in confinement till 1685. For an interesting account of this worthy man, see Select Miscellanies, vol. iv., 250–255.

magistrates, to reprove them for such greedy actions, and to warn and exhort them that, if they could assist to save people's lives, and preserve their ships and goods, they should use their diligence therein; and consider, if it had been their own condition, they would judge it hard, if they should be upon a wreck, and people should strive to get what they could from them, and not regard their lives. A copy of this paper here follows:

"FRIENDS AND PEOPLE,

"Take heed of greediness and covetousness, for that is idolatry; and the idolater must not enter into the kingdom of God. Take heed of drunkenness, oaths, and cursings, for such are destroyers of the creation, and make it to groan. Lay aside all fighting, quarreling, brawling, and evil speakings, which are the works of the flesh, and not of the Spirit; for they who follow such things are not likely to inherit the kingdom of God. Put away all corrupt words, which are unsavoury, and misnaming one another; for ye must give an account of every idle word. Lay aside all profession and religion that is vain; and come to the possession, and the pure religion, which is to visit the fatherless, the widow, and the stranger, and receive them; for some thereby may entertain angels, or the servants of the Lord unawares, as Paul was entertained after the shipwreck at Melita. Do not take people's goods from them by force out of their ships, seamen's or cthers', neither covet ye them; but rather endeavour to preserve their lives, and their goods for them; for that shows a spirit of compassion, and the spirit of a Christian. But if ye be greedy and covetous of other men's goods, not mattering what becomes of the men, would ye be served so yourselves? If ye should have a ship cast away in other places, and the people should come to tear the goods and ship in picces, not regarding to save the men's lives, but be ready to fight one with another for your goods, do not ye believe such goods would become a curse to them? And may ye not as surely believe, such kind of actions will become a curse unto you? When the spoil of one ship's goods is idly spent, and consumed upon the lusts, in ale-houses, taverns, and otherwise, then ye gape for another. Is this to do as ye would be done by,' which is the law and the prophets? Therefore, priest Hull, are these thy fruits? What dost thou take people's labour and goods for? Hast thou taught them no better manners and conversation, who are so brutish and heathenish? Now all such things we judge in whomsoever. But if any Friend, or others, preserve men's lives, and endeavour to save their goods and estates, and restore what they can of a wreck to the owners; if they consider such for their labour, doing in that case unto them what they would have done unto themselves, that we approve. And if they buy or sell, and do not make a prey, that is allowed of still, in the way of doing as ye would be done by,' keeping to the law and to the prophets: that is, if ye should be wrecked in another country, ye would have other people to save your lives and goods, and have your goods restored to you again, and you would commend them for so doing. All that do otherwise, that wait for a wreck, and get the goods for themselves, not regarding the lives of the men; but if any of them escape drowning, let them go begging up and down the country; and if any escape with a little, sometimes rob them of it;-all that do so, are

not for preserving the creation, but for destroying it; and those goods which are so gotten, shall be a curse, a plague, and a judgment to them, and the judgments of God will follow them for acting such things; the witness in your consciences shall answer it. Therefore, all ye who have done such things, 'do so no more lest a worse thing come unto you.' But that which is good, do; preserve men's lives and estates, and labour to restore the loss and breach; that the Lord requires. Be not like a company of greedy dogs, and worse than heathens, as if ye had never heard of God, nor Christ, nor the Scriptures, nor pure religion.

And priest Hull, have people spent their money upon thee, for that which is no bread? for a thing of nought, that thou hast such fruits? All such teachers we utterly deny as make a trade of the Scriptures, which are given forth from the Spirit of God, that they may be believed, read, and practised, and that Christ, whom they testify of, may be enjoyed. We own Christ, and are come off from all your steeple-houses, which were the old mass-houses; for there are their bad fruits harboured. Come to the church which is in God (1 Thess. i.), and to the light, which Christ Jesus hath enlightened you withal, which shows you all your ungodly words, ungodly thoughts, and ungodly actions. This will be your teacher, if ye love it; your condemnation, if ye hate it; for the mighty day of the Lord is coming upon all wickedness and ungodliness; therefore lay aside your whoredoms and fornications.

And ye magistrates, who are to do justice, think ye not, that the hand of the Lord God is against you, and that his judgments will come upon you, who do not look after these things and stop them with the law, which is, to do unto all men, as they would have done unto them,' whereby ye might be good savour in your country? Is not the law to preserve men's lives and estates, 'doing unto all men, as they would that men should do unto them?' For all men would have their lives and estates preserved; therefore, should not ye preserve others, and not suffer them to be devoured and destroyed? The evil of these things will lie upon you, both priests and magistrates." G. F.

:

*Postscript.—All dear Friends who fear the Lord, keep out of the ravenous world's spirit, which leads to destroy, and which is out of the wisdom of God. When ships are wrecked, do not run to destroy and make havoc of ship and goods with the world; but to save the men, and the goods for them; and so deny yourselves, and do unto them as ye would that they should do unto you.'" G. F.

This paper had good service among the people; and Friends have endeavoured much to save the lives of the crews in times of wrecks, and to preserve the ships and goods for them. And when some that have suffered shipwreck, have been almost dead and starved, Friends have taken them to their houses, to succour and recover them; which is an act to be practised by all true Christians.

I had many precious, blessed, living meetings in Cornwall, several eminent people being convinced in that county, whom neither priests nor

magistrates, by spoiling goods or imprisonments, could make to forsake their Shepherd, the Lord Jesus, who bought them; and all Friends, who were turned to Christ, their Teacher and Saviour, being settled in peace and quietness upon him, their foundation, we left them to the Lord Jesus Christ's teaching and ordering, fresh and green. Thomas Lower, who had accompanied me through all that county, brought me over Horse-bridge into DEVONSHIRE again; and after several meetings there, we came into SOMERSETSHIRE, where we had divers large and peaceable meetings; and so passed through the county, visiting Friends, till we came to BRISTOL.

I entered BRISTOL on the seventh day of the week. The day before, the soldiers 'came with their muskets into the meeting, and were exceedingly rude, beating and striking Friends with them, and drove them out of the orchard in a great rage, threatening what they would do, if Friends came there again. For the mayor and the commander of the soldiers had, it seems, combined together to make a disturbance amongst Friends. When Friends told me what a rage there was in the town, how they were threatened by the mayor and soldiers, and how unruly the soldiers had been the day before, I sent for several Friends, as George Bishop, Thomas Gouldney, Thomas Speed, and Edward Pyot, and desired them to go to the mayor and aldermen, and request them, seeing he and they had broken up our meetings, to let Friends have the town-hall to meet in; and for the use of it Friends would give them twenty pounds a-year, to be distributed amongst the poor; and when the mayor and aldermen had business to do in it, Friends would not meet in it, but only on First-days. These Friends were astonished at this, and said the mayor and aldermen would think that they were mad. I said, nay; for this would be a considerable benefit to the poor. And it was upon me from the Lord to bid them go. At last they consented, and went, though in the cross to their own wills. When they had laid the thing before the mayor, he said, "for his part he could consent to it, but he was but one :" and he told Friends of another great hall they might have, but that they did not accept, it being inconvenient. So Friends came away, leaving the mayor in a very loving frame towards them; for they felt the Lord's power had come over him. When they came back, I spoke to them to go also to the colonel that commanded the soldiers, and lay before him the rude conduct of his soldiers, how they came armed amongst innocent people, who were waiting upon, and worshipping the Lord; but they were backward to go to him.

Next morning, being first day, we went to the meeting in the orchard, where the soldiers had so lately been so rude. After I had declared the truth some time in the meeting, there came in many rude soldiers and people, some with drawn swords. The innkeepers had made some of them drunk; and one had bound himself with an oath, to cut down and kill the man that spoke. He came pressing in, through all the crowd of people, to within two yards of me, and stopped at those four Friends before mentioned (who should have gone to the colonel as I would have had them), and began jangling with them. Suddenly I saw his sword was put up and gone for the Lord's power came over all, and chained him with the rest. We had a blessed meeting, and the Lord's everlasting power and presence